What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Drunk Drivers in Greenville, SC, and What Victims Can Recover

Drunk drivers cause car accident injuries and fatalities in Greenville, SC.

Our experienced Greenville car accident lawyer at Bobby Jones Law explains how many car accidents are caused by drunk driving and what victims can recover.

What Percentage of Car Accidents Are Caused by Drunk Drivers in Greenville, SC?

Approximately 3.38% of all traffic accidents in Greenville, SC, involve drunk drivers.

There were 16,640 traffic collisions in Greenville County in 2023. Of those collisions, 528 were non-fatal drunk driving accidents. In addition, there were 35 drunk driving-related fatalities in Greenville County in 2023. SCDPS doesn’t report if that figure involves multiple fatalities in a single collision.

While 3.38% may seem like a small percentage of total traffic collisions, the calculated percentage includes minor accidents and “fender benders.” Of serious injury and fatal accidents, the percentage is much higher. In 2023 in Greenville County, SC, 35 of 71 traffic fatalities were drunk-driving related, making about half of all traffic fatalities in the county drunk-driving related.

Source: SCDPS, Traffic Fact Book, 2023.

Drunk Driving Car Accident Statistics: National vs. South Carolina Numbers

United States drunk driving car accident statistics

• 32% of traffic fatalities involve drunk driving.1
• There were 11,904 drunk driving deaths in the United States in 2024.4
• There were 12,429 drunk driving deaths in the United States in 20235 and 13,524 in 2022.1
• The average conviction rate for suspected drunk drivers was 58.3% in 2021.2
• On average, there is one drunk driving death every 42 minutes in the United States.5

South Carolina drunk driving car accident statistics

• There were an average of 5,617 drunk driving accidents per year in South Carolina from 2018 to 2022.1
• Greenville County had the most drunk driving-related deaths in SC in 2023, with 35 deaths. Charleston was second with 34, and Spartanburg third with 30.3
• South Carolina impaired driving fatalities increased from 305 in 2017 to 401 in 2021.2
• There were 486 speeding-related fatalities in SC in 2021 as compared to 401 impaired driving-related fatalities.2
• Drunk driving as a percentage of traffic deaths increased in SC from 30.84% of traffic deaths in 2017 to 33.47% of traffic deaths in 2021.2
• South Carolina’s average drunk driving conviction rate is below average, which is less than 50% compared to the nationwide average of 58.3% in 2021.2

Sources:

1SCDPS, Sober or Slammer.

2SCDPS,Triennial Highway Safety Plan.

3South Carolina DPS, Traffic Collision Fact Book, 2023.

4NHTSA, Risky Driving, Drunk Driving.

5NHTSA, 2023 Data: Alcohol-Impaired Driving.

How Many Car Fatal Accidents in Greenville Involve Drunk or Impaired Drivers?

Chart – Fatalities in Greenville, SC, Involving Drunk or Impaired Drivers, by Year

SCDPS Traffic Collision Fact Book, 2019, Traffic Collision Fact Book, 2023.

What Blood Alcohol Level Is Legally Drunk in South Carolina?

The legal limit for non-commercial drivers in South Carolina is .08. For commercial drivers, the legal limit is 0.04. Even if a driver’s alcohol level is below the legal limit, they may be a drunk driver if their ability to drive is appreciably and materially impaired by alcohol.

How Drunk Driving Accident Cases Differ from Other Car Accident Claims in SC

Drunk driving accident cases differ from other car accident claims in SC in several ways:

• The defendant often also faces criminal charges.
• Scientific evidence, such as chemical testing, may be part of the case.
• The law enforcement officer’s observations, standardized field sobriety tests, and camera recordings may be important to the claim.
• Negligence per se may apply, rather than the plaintiff having to prove negligence.
• The victim may seek punitive damages based on the defendant’s egregious conduct.
• An establishment may have liability for overserving.

Even if the driver is not criminally charged or the case doesn’t result in a conviction, the victim may succeed in a civil claim for compensation.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Drunk Driving Car Accident in South Carolina?

A drunk driver can be held responsible for a car accident caused by drunk driving in South Carolina. The establishment that overserves alcohol may also be liable, and the vehicle owner might be held liable for negligent entrustment.

What Is Dram Shop Liability and Does South Carolina Recognize It?

Dram shop liability is a legal liability that a bar or restaurant may have for serving alcohol to an intoxicated person. South Carolina recognizes dram shop liability.

What Compensation Can Drunk Driving Accident Victims Recover in Greenville?

A drunk driving accident victim can recover both economic and non-economic losses. Common compensation categories include medical bills, lost wages, personal care expenses, pain and suffering, impairment, emotional anguish, and more.

Can You Recover Punitive Damages in a South Carolina Drunk Driving Case?

Punitive damages are recoverable in a South Carolina injury case when the defendant’s conduct is egregious. Because drunk driving is entirely preventable, this is often the case for a drunk driving accident.

Punitive damages don’t compensate the victim for loss. Instead, they punish the defendant for their conduct and deter others from similar conduct. Punitive damages are payable to the victim.

Ask us at your consultation if punitive damages may be awarded in your case.

What To Do Immediately After Being Hit by a Drunk Driver in Greenville

If a drunk driver hits you in Greenville, SC, call the police. The police can gather evidence that may not be available later, such as field sobriety tests and chemical tests.

Get medical attention immediately. Gather evidence at the scene, such as photos and video. It may not be safe or appropriate to approach the defendant for their personal and vehicle information, so you may need police assistance or a police report to obtain it.

What Happens If the Drunk Driver Was Uninsured in SC?

If a drunk driver is uninsured in SC, you may:

• Seek compensation from your own uninsured/underinsured policy.
• Seek compensation from PIP and MedPay, if applicable.
• Pursue payment directly from the drunk driver.
• Evaluate others with liability.
• Ask the criminal court to order restitution (limited).

An attorney can help you with how to proceed if an uninsured drunk driver hits you in SC.

Contact an Experienced Greenville Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve been in a car accident with a drunk driver, it doesn’t matter what percentage of car accidents are caused by drunk drivers. What matters is justice for you. Contact an experienced Greenville car accident lawyer. Contact Bobby Jones Law today.